A land of ricefields and vast plains, Central Luzon has only a few mountains but it has been literally shaped by mountain activity. In 1991, Mt. Pinatubo erupted, dramatically altering the environment. The once towering Pinatubo lost over 300 meters of elevation; and the plains were covered with volcanic ash. Economic and social implications aside, this eruption has created a beautiful outdoor destination – the very crater of Pinatubo, now considered to be the most beautiful trekking destination in Central Luzon. An emerging beach destination, which also has a trek, is Anawangin Cove in Zambales, and its white beach is likewise due to the eruption. Meanwhile, linked mythologically with Pinatubo is Mt. Arayat, a solitary figure rising in the plains as one passes by the North Luzon Expressway – the main highway to the north. The rest of the mountains in Central Luzon are actually in the western provinces of Zambales and Bataan, where, geologically, the meeting of two tectonic plates have given rise to mountains.

The distinctive flavor of these west mountains is its relative barrenness, not like the dense jungles of other mountains. Also, many are rocky, such as Tarak Ridge, a beautiful viewpoint overlooking Manila Bay; and Mt. Tapulao, which, aside from being the highest mountain in the region, is also a great source of chromite ore. Other notables include Mt. Natib in Bataan and Mt. Cinco Picos, overlooking Subic. Finally, we have Mt. Manalmon in Bulacan – the closest to Manila – which lies in the historic site of Biak-na-Bato, which figured prominently in the Philippine revolution in the 1890s.